Gonksi 2.0 recommends Independent Evidence Institution
Social Ventures Australia (SVA) welcomes the Gonski 2.0’s Panel’s recommendation to establish an Independent Evidence Institution for Australia’s schools and applauds the Turnbull Government’s commitment to implement this recommendation.
The Review Panel for the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools report recommends ‘an independent institution to coordinate the strategic development of a national research and evidence base through the sourcing and generating of research, and the synthesising and promotion of educational evidence that can be easily accessed and implemented to improve student outcomes.’
SVA’s Education Practice Lead and Director of Evidence for Learning, Matthew Deeble, said:
‘The Panel’s recommendation for an independent national evidence institution to support schools is crucial to equip our teachers with the best information to make evidence-informed choices that will lift learning for every child.
‘This is what Australia’s education system lacks and it’s what Australia’s education system needs for our next generation of learners to succeed in a 21st century economy.’
‘Properly resourcing such a body would be a smart investment by governments to ensure the increased spending on education is spent wisely.
‘By establishing an evidence institution, Minister Birmingham will be working towards his goal of spending every education dollar on programs that evidence shows work.’
‘SVA incubated Evidence for Learning to help prove the value of an evidence broker and has been advocating for a nationally resourced institution like this. We have been piloting a model through Evidence for Learning to show how it can work with our different school sectors and across states and territories.
‘We need an independent expert body, like the panel has recommended, to generate, gather and share research on what works to inform better education decisions at every level, whether that’s choices teachers make in the classroom, programs that school leaders invest in or governments’ and system leaders’ policies and priorities.’
‘It’s crucial that this body be entirely independent so that practicing educators can trust the evidence. It must be valid and reliable so teachers can feel confident in combining the evidence with their own professional judgment to make improvements in the classroom that will progress learning.
‘Countries such as England and the United States are working to lift education outcomes by mandating or encouraging evidence-based teaching and learning approaches in all schools.’
The Review Panel recommendations and Federal Government support follows a similar announcement for the Federal Opposition in February.
Read more about SVA’s submission to the Review Panel.
This article originally appeared on www.socialventures.com.au.
